Monash experts are available to comment on Prime Minister Albanese’s announcement that American tech giant Microsoft will help Australia build a "cyber shield" against global online threats under a plan to secure and expand the Australian digital economy.
Professor Monica Whitty, Head of Department of Software Systems & Cybersecurity, Faculty of Information Technology
Contact details: +61 450 501 248 or media@monash.edu
- Human factors of cybersecurity
- Online security risks
- Detecting and preventing cyber scams
The following can be attributed to Professor Whitty:
“This announcement and the intention to invest in building a ‘cyber shield’ signifies the recognition and urgent need to increase cyber security capacity in Australia.
“While it is difficult to know exactly how this ‘cyber shield’ will be implemented, what is important for Australians to know is that we have a cyber security skills gap that urgently needs addressing.
“In Australia, we need to improve basic levels of digital literacy and training that organisations might provide, but even more importantly there is a need to increase the number of highly trained cyber security specialists in undergraduate and postgraduate degrees - given that currently the government and industry are struggling to recruit this much needed talent from within the country.”
Professor of Practice Nigel Phair, Department of Software Systems & Cybersecurity, Faculty of Information Technology
Contact details: +61 450 501 248 or media@monash.edu
- Impact of cybercrime
- Governance of technology
- Intersection of technology, crime and society
The following can be attributed to Professor Phair:
“While this announcement is largely centred on the building of new data centres, it also focuses on two rapidly growing areas of cyber security - cloud computing and AI.
“Australia, like the rest of the world, faces huge challenges to not only continually embrace the benefits of these technologies, but also to manage the cyber risks surrounding their use.”
For any other topics on which you may be seeking expert comment, contact the Monash University Media Unit on +61 3 9903 4840 or media@monash.edu
